New map targets Sidney’s hot crime spots

Police statistics are now your statistics, as the Sidney North Saanich RCMP has announced it will send out a Sidney Crime Map on a monthly, or semi-monthly basis. Corporal Chris Manseau says the police collect information on where crime occurs in the community anyway, and now that the local detachment has a full-time, dedicated crime analyst, they decided to create a map for the public. It’s goal, he said, is to make people aware to the types of crimes that are occurring in and around their neighbourhoods.

The map itself gives only the type of incidents police have responded to, such as break and enters to homes and businesses, thefts and incidents of mischief. Manseau said the map will be an indicator of where certain types of crime is occurring in Sidney and North Saanich. The maps will not include specific details that could infringe on people’s privacy or on ongoing police investigations.

Manseau, the local detachment’s public affairs officer, said each map would be accompanied by information about trends on local crime and what people can do to prevent becoming a victim of crime. The RCMP will be sending the maps and crime information to local media.

In recent months, the local police have issued multiple warnings about thefts from vehicles in the area and those incidents continue to occur. Manseau said he hopes the crime maps will help reinforce the message that the detachment is trying to get to people: lock their car doors and keep valuables out of sight or out of the vehicle completely, so as not to give anyone the temptation to break in.